ALA Black Caucus Hits the Jackpot
in Las Vegas
Meeting in Las Vegas July 19–22, the Black Caucus of the American Library Association hit the jackpot by drawing over 1,000 attendees to its fourth national conference, with the theme “Culture Keepers IV: Challenges and Opportunities in the New Millennium.”
Enthusiastic crowds heard inspirational messages from opening keynoter Tavis Smiley, CNN political analyist and host of BET Tonight, and closing speaker Mona Lake Jones, author of the Color of Culture poetry books. In between, the “Culture Keepers” theme was furthered by programs and workshops on ways to preserve and document African-American heritage, from online technologies and black publishing to storytelling and documenting family histories.
A conference highlight was “Breakfast with a Few Good Men,” featuring an impressive lineup of speakers: U.S. Rep. John Lewis, who recounted his role in the civil rights movement; Olympic gold medalist Rafer Johnson; and Juan Williams, author of Eyes on the Prize.
A full report on the conference is scheduled for the September American Libraries.
Posted July 26, 1999.
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